16 best food, drinks to try at Disney California Adventure’s new Festival of Holidays

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Braised Beef Short Rib: This is a hearty tummy stuffer -- a perfect meal for the meat-and-potato types. The beef is marinated in a German sauerbraten sauce and is served on top of creamy mashed potatoes. It can be found at the Heritage Cottage food stand. (Photo by Mark Eades, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Holiday Fruit Punch: This non-alcoholic drink is a refreshing classic fruit punch. Served at the Treats for Santa food stand, which also features an assortment of sweet goodies such as a puff pastry, assorted cookies, peppermint bark, pumpkin seed brittle and white hot chocolate with house-made peppermint marshmallows. (Photo by Mark Eades, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Warm Bourbon Cider: Need to warm up quickly? Try this hot toddy. It goes down smooth, and might take the edge off if you've been trekking the park all day with the family. Served at the Treats for Santa food stand, which also features a refreshing non-alcoholic fruit punch. Photo by Mark Eades, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Merry Berry Sherbert Punch: If you like to drink your calories, this beverage is for you. It is a fun riff on a classic fruit punch bowl found at bridal showers. The punch is served with a heaping serving of a mixed berry sherbert and a splash of Sprite -- which results in a head of foamy bubbles. Where to find: Mistletoe Morsels food stand (Nancy Luna, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Gingerbread Bundt Cake: I'm not a ginger fan but this mini-bundt cake is as moist as it gets. The Orange drizzle dulls the ginger taste, which is a good thing. Served at the Yuletide Yummies food stand. (Photo by Mark Eades, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A closer look at the adobo pork bao and duck and vegetable egg roll at the Good Fortune's Feast.

Adobo Pork Bao: The fatty flavor and texture of the pork belly mixed with pickled onions and pork cracklings make this sandwich one of the most complex bites of the festival. This was the best option and value at this food stand, as the smoked duck and vegetable egg roll disappointed us. Where to find: Good Fortune's Feast. (Photo courtesy of the Disney Resort)

Vanilla Rice Pudding: There's nothing more comforting than apple pie and rice pudding, so why not put them all together? That's the idea behind this mashup dessert, which features warm apple compote and cinnamon streusel crumbs on top of vanilla rice pudding. Addictive, and perfect for kids of all ages. It can be found at the Heritage Cottage food stand. (Photo by Mark Eades, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sweet Potato Pie: Of all the dishes at the marketplace, this one seems to embrace the family spirit of the event. The recipe comes from the family of one of the banquet managers at the park. The pie, perfect for sharing between two people, is topped with a pecan and heaping dollop of cinnamon cream. This, and the vanilla rice pudding are magical treats from the always creative Disney bakery. The pastry and bakery teams rarely disappoint. The pie is served at Southern Home Holidays food stand. (Photo by Mark Eades, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Red Chile Pozole: I much preferred this meat eater's version over the green chile version. The broth and hominy are similar to menudo, a classic Mexican breakfast soup. (Nancy Luna, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Green Chile Pozole: Served with vegetables, this Mexican soup is quality option for vegetarians. Try it on a cool winter evening while waiting for World of Color. It'll warm your insides. Want meat? Try the red chile pork version. Both are found at the Fiesta en Familia food stand. (Photo courtesy of the Disney Resort)

Chicken and Potato Curry: You can't see it in this photo, but this dish comes served with a petite piece of naan bread. Ask for extra keffir cream because it adds a whole other flavor dimension to the curry. Spice level is a 2 on scale of 10. Served at the Spice Salutations food stand. (Photo courtesy of the Disney Resort)

Chorizo Bean Sopes with Cotija cheese and fresh crèma: This traditional Mexican street snack is a terrific spicy option, especially for those tired of tacos and burritos. Tamales are also served here, but we preferred this dish the best. Served at Abuelita's Kitchen. (Nancy Luna, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Roasted Turkey Slider: Want Thanksgiving dinner in one bite? Say no more. This turkey slider smothered in mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce is hands down one of the most comforting meals sold at the marketplace. Pair this with the praline and bourbon whoopie pie for the perfect savory and sweet meal. Where to find: Both dishes are sold at the Winter Sliderland food stand. (Photo courtesy of the Disney Resort)

The Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park offers guests an array of holiday-inspired food from diverse cultures. More than 60 foods and drinks are available at 14 food stands. Here are the items we liked the most. (Photo courtesy of the Disney Resort)

At Christmas, I look forward to my mother’s tamales. No one does tamales better than Mom.

It goes without saying that certain foods this time of year always taste better when they’re created and shared by family. But have you ever been curious about holiday flavors from cultures outside your own?

If you have, chances are you’ll find a few inspiring meals to nosh on during the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure. The new winter event includes entertainment and foods inspired by cultures around the world. At the Festive Foods Marketplace, meals, wine and seasonal craft beer can be found at 14 food stands set up along the pathway from from Carthay Circle to Paradise Garden.

Park visitors won’t go hungry or bored as there’s more than 60 dishes and beverages available. As such, the global cuisine is served tapas-style – small portions ranging from chickepea fritters to noodle kugels to a tart-size sweet potato pie.

Think of it as a global and expanded version of the park’s Food & Wine Festival, which returned this year after being canceled five years ago.

“The idea is our guests would sample their way through the holidays,” said Gary Maggetti, a general manager at Disney California Adventure.

Maggetti, in charge of all festivals at the California-themed park, said Festival of Holidays builds on the park’s Viva Navidad party, a Latin-American Christmas celebration held over the last four years at Paradise Pier. Besides Christmas, other holidays represented include Diwali, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Festival of Holidays runs through Jan. 8.

Over the last week, I’ve had a chance try some of the marketplace foods and drinks.

Here are my recommendations:

MAIN BITES

Reuben Potato Smash: Delicious. I closed my eyes and savored this dish after one bite. It’s like an oversized tater tot drizzled with Russian dressing, chives and toasted rye bread crumbs. I loved it so much, I went back for seconds. Where to find: Nosh & Nibbles food stand.

Brisket Potato Croquette: The only problem with this dish is the name. I imagined a fried potato ball topped or stuffed with brisket. Instead, the dish comes with a few petite potato logs smothered in brisket and gravy. Loved the chives and horseradish sauce, which was not overpowering. Where to find: Nosh & Nibbles food stand.

Roasted Turkey Slider: Want Thanksgiving dinner in one bite? Say no more. This turkey slider smothered in mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce is hands down one of the most comforting meals sold at the food marketplace. Pair this with the praline and bourbon whoopie pie for the perfect savory and sweet meal. Where to find: Both dishes are sold at the Winter Sliderland food stand.

Chorizo Bean Sopes: This traditional Mexican street snack, topped with Cotija cheese and fresh crèma, is a terrific spicy option – especially for those tired of tacos and burritos. Tamales are also served here, but we preferred this dish the best. Where to find: Abuelita’s Kitchen food stand.

Pozole: Served with vegetables, the green chile pozole is a solid option for vegetarians. Try it on a cool winter evening while waiting for World of Color. It’ll warm your insides. Want meat? Get the red pozole, which contains chunks of pork and hominy. Where to find: Fiesta en Familia food stand.

Ceviche: I was pleasantly surprised by this pre-made item. While normally I like my food made to order, this dish is pulled chilled from the refrigerator. The red snapper fish is marinated to perfection in a spicy citrus vinaigrette which includes lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, white vinegar, some garlic & serrano peppers and a touch of honey, says Chef Jimmy Weita. Fabulous flavor. Bravo. It pairs nicely with the chili lime tortilla strips that come with it. Where to find: Fiesta en Familia food stand.

Chicken and Potato Curry: Chunks of potato and chicken are bathed in curry and served on top of a petite piece of naan bread. Ask for extra keffir cream on top of the curry – it adds a whole other flavor dimension to the curry. Spice level is a 2 on scale of 10. Where to find: Spice Salutations food stand.

Braised Beef Short Rib: This is a hearty tummy stuffer – a perfect meal for the meat-and-potato types. The beef is marinated in a German sauerbraten sauce and is served on top of creamy mashed potatoes. Where to find: Heritage Cottage food stand.

Adobo Pork Bao: The fatty flavor of the pork belly mixed with pickled onions and pork cracklings make this sandwich one of the most complex bites of the festival. This was the best option and value at this food stand, as the smoked duck and vegetable egg roll disappointed us. Where to find: Good Fortune’s Feast.

DESSERTS

Vanilla Rice Pudding: There’s nothing more comforting than apple pie and rice pudding, so why not put them all together? That’s the idea behind this mashup dessert, which features warm apple compote and cinnamon streusel crumbs on top of vanilla rice pudding. Addictive, and perfect for kids of all ages. Where to find: Heritage Cottage food stand.

Sweet Potato Pie: Of all the dishes at the marketplace, this one seems to embrace the family spirit of the event. The recipe comes from the family of one of the banquet managers at the park. The pie, perfect for sharing between two people, is topped with a pecan and heaping dollop of cinnamon cream. This, and the vanilla rice pudding are magical treats from the always creative Disney bakery. The pastry and bakery teams rarely disappoint. Where to find: Southern Home Holidays food stand.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake: I’m not a ginger fan but this mini-bundt cake is as moist as it gets. The Orange drizzle dulls the ginger taste, which is a good thing. Where to find: Yuletide Yummies food stand.

BEVERAGES

Merry Berry Sherbert Punch: If you like to drink your calories, this beverage is for you. It is a fun riff on a party punch bowl often served at bridal showers. The drink, served in a 16 ounce cup, comes with a heaping serving of mixed berry sherbert and a splahs of Sprite, which results in a head of foamy bubbles. Where to find: Mistletoe Morsels food stand

Warm Bourbon Cider: Need to warm up quickly? Try this hot toddy. It goes down smooth, and might take the edge off if you’ve been trekking the park all day with the family. Looking for a drink for the kids? Try the Holiday Fruit Punch. This non-alcoholic drink is a refreshing party punch. Where to find: The cider and punch can be found at Treats for Santa food stand, which also features an assortment of sweet treats assorted cookies, peppermint bark, pumpkin seed brittle and white hot chocolate.

Note: Wine and seasonal beers, curated especially for the Festive Foods Marketplace, can be found at various food stands.

Nancy Luna is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years reporting experience. She's been the Register's restaurant beat writer since 2005, covering some of the biggest players in the industry: In-N-Out, Chipotle, McDonald’s and Taco Bell. Luna also covers dining trends from food halls to food trucks. She writes with authority and is considered an expert in her field.